The Ancient Saint Emperor of the Heaven-shading

Chapter 242 The Emperor of All Ages!
Amidst the fierce battles and ever-changing world, who will ultimately prevail on this vast and untamed land?

The waves may wash away heroes, but today we will not fail.

In the chaotic wilderness, the desolate universe has long been stained red with blood, turning this place into a deadly wasteland. Various imperial ripples surge together, creating an atmosphere of extreme terror.

After the earth-shattering battle, nearly sixty supreme beings were buried here, forming the most terrifying forbidden area. Their remains still echo, their magic still rises, and the great battle of their last moments continues.

At the very top, the Supreme Celestial Venerable stands, suppressing all disturbances with the body of Emperor Hongwu. He could not cause any upheaval in his lifetime, nor could he stir up any trouble after his death.

He stood there, stepping over countless emperors throughout history, awaiting his own tribulation of enlightenment.

On this day, his imperial glory illuminated the boundless starry sky, shook the ages, and spread throughout all of history.

"There are no more forbidden zones for life in the world!"

"From now on, all emperors throughout history will revere this one emperor!"

"The Emperor of All Ages!"

Cheers erupted from all directions, resounding through the sky. Everyone was extremely excited and roared to the heavens.

What domineering power! He wiped out sixty powerful figures in one battle and carved out a bright and clear world!
From then on, there was no more darkness and turmoil, no more self-destruction of the supreme being, and the forbidden zone was also ended!

People vented their emotions and roared with all their might. They were grateful to have been born into this world, where no more gloom would shroud the masses. They were proud to have been born into this world and witnessed the Hongwu Emperor sweeping away the forbidden zones. They were honored to have been born into this world, to be respected alongside the emperor, and to bask in the glory of the era.

The power of all beings' wishes condensed and entwined around Wang Hongwu, blessing him. Then, with a hum, the Eastern Emperor Bell flew from the Heavenly Court, this vessel to accompany him through the tribulation.

At this moment, his aura intensified, and the four powers that transcended the mortal world—immortal seed, immortal artifact, immortal spirit, and immortal metal—merged into one, reaching their ultimate sublimation. Above his head, ten thousand mournful cries rang out, and the heart of heaven trembled, as if it had sensed something and was resisting.

The atmosphere in the universe was so oppressive that it was suffocating. Even though they were infinitely far apart, people could still sense it. The cheers and celebrations from before immediately subsided. They knew that the most crucial moment had arrived.

Once the tribulation of attaining enlightenment is overcome, one becomes the strongest emperor in history, comparable to near-immortal beings who have experienced multiple rebirths.

Some even suspect that after attaining enlightenment, he will go through countless ages and fulfill the unfulfilled wish of the Battle Saint Emperor, becoming a Battle Immortal.
After all, Emperor Hongwu had fought his way up through countless battles. In the Quasi-Emperor realm, he slaughtered Supreme Beings, wiped out the Forbidden Zone, fought to the death with a near-Immortal being like the Lord of the Undying Mountain, and even killed a spirit with a broken Immortal Corpse. He truly forged his Dao through countless battles and was invincible in the Dao.

Boom!

The next moment, countless calamities flashed by, the edge of the universe collapsed, and all the paths pressed down at once. Wang Hongwu raised one hand, supported the sky with one arm, and lifted them all up again, pushing them back with his strength!
The mere aftershocks caused tens of thousands of small universes that evolved on the frontier to be re-established. If the previous divine war had not greatly expanded the territory, this calamity would have truly caused the universe to collapse and fall into ruin.

"This calamity is far too terrifying." Chuan Ying gazed into the distance, doing his best to suppress the aftershocks and prevent them from affecting the myriad realms of stars. Even so, he was covered in sweat and was finding it difficult to withstand.

The Qilin, Wanlong, and Golden Emperor standing nearby were also horrified. With their strength, they might even be killed by this lightning tribulation. Looking into the distance, too many great tribulations, such as the Ninefold Immortal Tribulation, the Chaos World-Destroying Lightning, and the Immortal Spirit Killing Sea, all struck down at once.

The scene was too terrifying to be resolved. Even the Divine Ruins Emperor, who represented the Ziwei Imperial Court in recruiting the Immortal Granny and the White Tiger Daoist, was stunned. Now, there was no need for him to explain the future; the outcome of this tribulation and battle was the best proof.

"Joining the second generation of the Heavenly Court might still offer him hope of becoming an immortal. He experienced the Emperor's decision to send his entire sect to immortality back then, so perhaps he can truly succeed this time." The Immortal Granny sighed softly. In her life, she had seen countless geniuses, but she had never thought of any of them. She considered herself the best in the mortal world, but she never expected that she would be impressed and admired by a man.

The White Tiger Taoist glanced at the Heavenly Court, sensed the presence of the Heavenly Demon King, and pondered, "Since one of my descendants is an imperial concubine, it's alright for me to enter the Heavenly Court, as long as there is hope for immortality in the future."

As soon as he finished speaking, the two former emperors joined the Ziwei Imperial Court and came to the edge of the universe to work together to suppress the aftermath of the great calamity.

It's unimaginable. What kind of person's path to enlightenment would be so heaven-defying? Some of the aftershocks even require seven emperors to suppress them?

Even so, the common people can still clearly perceive that the universe is shaking and roaring, conveying various sounds of collapse.

Not to mention the very center of the tribulation, where the scene is too terrifying and the destructive power is unparalleled. Even the current emperor cannot withstand it and can kill them.

Only one figure charged upwards against the tide, blasting away the Heavenly Heart Mark, shattering countless obstacles, and like a god or demon, unleashing a dazzling path of light, reigning supreme in the heavens, vying with the heavens above.

This is truly defying the heavens, aiming to shatter all the great rules of the universe and break through the shackles, because he himself possesses the myriad paths and the will of heaven, so naturally he must stand at the highest peak, transcend, and not be bound.

Visible to the naked eye, all those myriad paths materialized into various creatures and weapons to block the way. There were giant axes symbolizing the creation of the world, ice peaks symbolizing desolation, creatures materialized from chaos, ancestral beasts outlined by Dao traces, and even the Heavenly Heart projected a shadow, which was the existence of him after merging with the Heavenly Heart in the deduction, an ancient emperor from an old era coming to fight.

However, the true Great Celestial Venerable does not need to be in harmony with the will of Heaven. He is above all, unleashing punch after punch to fight against all the myriad paths, shattering them so that they cannot be reassembled. Even the ancient emperor who was in harmony with the will of Heaven was shattered by him with his bare hands, bringing peace and tranquility to the world.

"Is this just the prelude? What will it be like when the lightning tribulation reaches its peak?"

All cultivators were astonished, many trembling. This aura was unbearable; it was the most incredible miracle in the world, a single person defying all paths, creating an immortal legend.

Many people were amazed, but unfortunately, it had nothing to do with them.

At the center of the tribulation, Wang Hongwu casually blasted open the Heavenly Heart Mark, piercing through all the myriad paths and creating a clear and bright world. At this moment, the entire universe was shocked, suddenly unable to sense the Great Dao, as if everything had been overturned and could no longer be felt.

All traces of the Dao seemed to have vanished, the universe seemed to have been destroyed, and at that moment everyone felt an emptiness in their hearts.

At that source, only one Martial Emperor stands above all paths, invisible to the world, only a terrifying aura can be felt spreading outwards.

However, after a brief vacuum, a great calamity erupted, even more terrifying than before. The light of time splashed, ancient and modern eras were thrown into chaos, and all worlds were in turmoil. The true peak calamity had arrived!
"I saw streaks of blood flowing like crimson clouds, I saw the earth sinking, I saw an era being annihilated!"

At this moment, Hun Tuo whispered that countless people's eyes were bleeding and tears were flowing. This was still the result of being isolated. The real battle was too far away. There were still seven Venerables resolving it. Otherwise, everyone who witnessed this battle would die!

"Celestial Venerables? Nine, no, ten Celestial Venerables!"

"All ten Celestial Venerables of the Mythological Era have appeared? That's the Tribulation-Transcending Celestial Venerable, and the Emperor Venerable, and the last one is... the Bright Venerable? The Ultimate Celestial Venerable!"

What is even more awe-inspiring is that above the myriad paths, there are ten Taoist temples standing tall; the buildings are ancient and weathered, standing in ten different heavens. In each temple sits a celestial deity, looking down below. They are either incomparably majestic, sharp as a knife, ethereal, or blurry and invisible, each with a different temperament.

The Ten Celestial Venerables of the Mythological Era transformed their laws and doctrines into ten heavens, imprinting their Dharma bodies upon him, thus blocking his path here.

Furthermore, under the blessing of the lightning tribulation, the strength of these marks briefly reached its peak, and these figures seemed to be alive, which was quite extraordinary.

Lingbao Tianzun waved his hand in a certain direction, and four killing swords and array diagrams appeared simultaneously, at his command; Dujie Tianzun snorted coldly, and the Death Nether Spear, Black Gold Shield, and Tongtian Nether Treasure appeared simultaneously, falling into his hands; Daode Tianzun looked at a star field, where an ancient coffin flew over, and then a corpse and weapon flew out from it, suddenly merging with him.

The Celestial Venerable of Longevity, the Celestial Venerable of Freedom, and the Celestial Venerable of Nirvana all stood calmly. Moreover, the ninth person was not the Celestial Venerable of Primordial Beginning in his first life, but the Celestial Venerable of Emperor in his second life!

The Emperor's gaze swept over, and the Immortal Ascension Cauldron roared. But if Wang Hongwu didn't want it, it couldn't fly away. However, at this moment, he became interested and smiled slightly, saying, "So what?"

As soon as it was released, the Immortal Ascension Cauldron trembled reluctantly. After all, it was one of the three people who created it. It looked back several times before finally falling into the hands of the Emperor.

Tap! At this moment, the last person walked over. It was Wang Hongwu's mark in the lightning tribulation, the supreme celestial being of the mythical era. He did not use any weapons, but his body slowly changed, showing celestial spirit characteristics. He actually evolved into the celestial spirit battle body of the Eight-Nine Heavenly Technique!

"What, what, how is this any different from the resurrection of a peak-level Ten Heavenly Venerable?"

People were shocked. This was simply the battle of the ten most powerful Heavenly Venerables at their peak. Human strength has its limits. No matter how powerful a person is, it is impossible to fight against the ten Heavenly Venerables of the mythological era alone, not to mention that there were two transcendent beings among them, the Emperor Venerable and the Bright Venerable.

What's even more terrifying is that the Immortal Ascension Cauldron, the Heaven-Reaching Netherworld Treasure, and the Spiritual Treasure Killing Array are all there!
To fight against it all by oneself is simply a pipe dream.

Buzz! With the Eastern Emperor Bell hanging above his head and the Six Paths Wheel under his feet, Wang Hongwu didn't waste any words and charged straight over. He activated the Nine Secrets United as One - Heavenly Venerable Great Harmony Transformation, not to create clones, but to merge them all into one, fusing them into a single entity. His combat power continued to sublimate, and each strike was also a combined attack of the ten venerables!
Seeing this, the figures on the tenth heaven moved in unison. The first to make a move was the Tribulation-Crossing Celestial Venerable. He thrust forward with the Nether Spear in his left hand, and the Heavenly Nether Treasure on his crown chakra unleashed a curse, bombarding him in succession. With a clang, the Eastern Emperor Bell shook the Nether Spear, and the Six Paths Disc knocked away the Nether Treasure. The Supreme Celestial Venerable was fighting the Tribulation-Crossing Celestial Venerable!

The two fought fiercely. Back then, the Underworld Lord only lost to the Emperor Lord by half a move. In his first life, his strength was even more terrifying, but he was still no match for Wang Hongwu. After a series of exchanges, he spread his arms, and the dragon and phoenix sang together. The dragon fist flew and the phoenix claw flew together, sending him flying. However, the remaining nine people did not stand idly by and pressed down together.

The Celestial Venerable unleashed a barrage of killing techniques, each with its own unique variations, instantly sealing off all his paths. His killing techniques were invincible and infinitely evolving. The Dou Zi Secret Technique had reached a state of divine mastery, possessing some of the power of immortal arts, and he had perfectly demonstrated that profound meaning. The Eternal Life Celestial Venerable also swept out with a sword, angrily cleaving the universe and drawing life force from an entire realm. The Annihilation Celestial Venerable then used his power to calm the storm and evolve the Supreme Heavenly Diagram.

The rain of countless weapons conjured by the Heavenly Venerable of the Soldier fell, even influencing his own weapons, demonstrating how people could be weapons... The Heavenly Venerable of the Carefree was the most ferocious, as if harboring a deep-seated hatred. He roared and unleashed his strongest killing move, forcefully conjuring a phantom river of time that surged forward. The Emperor Venerable also made his move, amplifying the power of the All-Encompassing Secret tenfold, and wielding the Immortal Ascension Cauldron for a single strike; the Heavenly Venerable of the Ultimate Path also unleashed the Wheel of Life and Death and the Fist of Myriad Paths, their killing moves even showing a faint tendency to merge, because they possessed ten secrets, representing the pinnacle of ten domains, capable of fusing with each other. Once unified, even near-immortal beings would be shattered.

Upon seeing this scene, the seven members of the Qilin Emperor were all shocked. Each of the ten figures possessed immense magical power and a secret technique, seemingly poised to break through the barriers of immortality and attain eternal life.

Wang Hongwu was fighting fiercely there. With his power amplified tenfold, he unleashed all the immortal techniques he possessed, engaging in a heaven-defying clash. He fought ten venerable beings single-handedly, without being at a disadvantage in the slightest.

In the end, all ten secret techniques swept in at once—not nine secrets combined into one, but ten secrets combined into one! This surpassed ordinary immortal arts and was terrifying beyond measure.

Wang Hongwu, struck squarely by the attack, was sent flying backward. His Immortal Golden Spirit Body could barely withstand the blow, and large patches of blood appeared on his body. However, he triggered the profound meaning of the Divine Mark Purple Gold, enduring the attack head-on and comprehending its mysteries, which he then incorporated into his Ten Secrets as one.

The next moment, he flew out again, and the same ten layers of light shone on his body, which was also the fusion of the ten secrets!

"Lin Bing Dou Zhe Jie Shu Zu Qian Xing Ji!" Surrounded by ten ancient characters, this supreme immortal killing technique evolved into a mythological era celestial deity diagram, gathering all the deities and guarding that great celestial deity.

As soon as the Heavenly Map descended, it blasted the ten figures apart, injuring them all and causing them to stagger.

Seizing the opportunity, he divided his forces and attacked them one by one, fighting ten men with great force.

At this moment, his immortal skills are sublimating, his magic and the laws of the Dao are blending together, his combat skills and immortal techniques are fusing together, they are becoming one, they are being forged, with the forbidden domain as the foundation, as if to give birth to a supreme technique that belongs only to him!
The profound mysteries of True Dragon Scattered Hand, Qilin Scattered Hand, Kunpeng Scattered Hand, Thunder Emperor Scattered Hand, Divine Phoenix Scattered Hand, Myriad Paths Fist, Primordial Rebirth, Extreme Character Secret, Wheel of Life and Death of All Heavens, Heavenly Will Blade, Immortal Gold Law, Immortal Seed Dao, Immortal Spirit Body, Immortal Artifact Body, etc., are fully sublimated and bombarded to block the ten Venerables.

He fought Xiaoyao with lightning speed, rendering him unable to move; he battled Changsheng with physical strength, piercing him from the top of his head to the soles of his feet with a single arm; he fought Jimie with suppression, pinning him down with one hand; he battled Daode with incarnation, directly overwhelming him with the Heavenly Venerable's Great Harmony Transformation; he battled Dizun with explosive power, unleashing the Myriad Paths Fist of the Six Paths Reincarnation... In the end, he fought himself with the Extreme Word Secret, overwhelming him completely.

He surpassed the Ten Celestial Venerables in all ten areas!
Physical body suppresses immortality, divine speed surpasses freedom, suppression surpasses annihilation, array patterns break spiritual treasures, incarnation strikes morality... eruption surpasses even the Emperor Venerable, fusion with the ultimate Dao!
He is the strongest mythical figure throughout history, surpassing all ten legendary figures.

In the end, only the Supreme Celestial Venerable was left to fight back. He was forced to retreat continuously, and his arms suddenly crossed in front of his chest. He used the Wheel of Life and Death of the Heavens and the Fist of Myriad Paths to perform the Great Millstone of Reincarnation, which was indestructible. However, an invisible "power" suppressed him. It was the invincible domineering will accumulated from continuous victories, continuous transcendence of limits, and continuous breakthroughs in himself.

This will left him with no way to avoid it. Wang Hongwu charged in, using the same move, the same cycle of grinding. With a bang, his arms, which were raised and crossed in front of him, were disintegrated, and his whole body was pierced through by the fist, leaving him unable to move.

With a powerful punch, Wang Hongwu shattered the Supreme Celestial Venerable and killed him at his feet.

He single-handedly killed the Ten Heavenly Venerables!

This is...it's like a myth, unbelievable.

However, after the Ten Celestial Venerables, the tribulation of lightning did not end, but instead gave rise to the Ten Immortal Golden Saints!

Phoenix Blood Crimson Gold, Immortal Tears Green Gold, Divine Mark Purple Gold, Eternal Blue Gold, Dragon Pattern Black Gold, Dao Tribulation Gold, Feathered Ascension Azure Gold, Bright White Gold... even the Seven-Colored Immortal Gold Holy Spirit appeared.

Ten holy spirits, each radiating a different color, stood there, crushing the eternal universe.

Moreover, it wasn't just them; the Ten Fiends and the Ten Immortal Seeds that had appeared in the past also reappeared, and even the phantom images of immortal artifacts such as the Desolate Tower, the Immortal Bell, and the Immortal Palace were reflected, all coming to obstruct the path; this was related to Wang Hongwu's own path, which had integrated immortal gold, immortal seeds, immortal artifacts, and the immortal spirits of the Ten Fiends, so naturally there would be corresponding interrogations.

At their center, the light of reincarnation shone, and the waves of time flowed backward. A figure with a wheel on his head emerged, his face indistinct. As soon as he appeared, he guided the six immortal artifacts to him.

This is the final tribulation of lightning.

"The Six Paths of Reincarnation—did he transform himself into a part of the cycle of reincarnation? Awaiting a successor? Whoever controls reincarnation, that is him?"

Wang Hongwu took a deep breath, his blood boiling, and instantly crimson light illuminated the universe, like the sun leaping over the horizon. A domineering aura emerged, especially after killing the Ten Heavenly Venerables and integrating them all into the Heavenly Venerable Great Harmony Transformation. The ten secrets combined into one, unparalleled in history, could be called a powerful immortal technique.

The next moment, he charged forward in a rage, confronting the Ten Immortal Golden Saints, the Ten Fiends, and the Immortal Seeds. The Immortal Ascension Cauldron and the Heaven-Reaching Nether Treasure were once again under his control, wreaking havoc and destroying everything in their path.

The celestial light of ascension surged, the phoenix blood of rebirth burned, the eternal celestial light sealed the space, the immortal tears swept across the sky to eliminate the laws, and the golden light of myriad tribulations accompanied the black true dragon to strangle it, clashing hard with Wang Hongwu's fist in a series of attacks. Furthermore, divine marks flowed, imprinting his laws and techniques, and launched a reverse attack. One after another, the holy spirits displayed supreme mysteries.

However, none of them were a match for the Holy Spirits, because the Mingzun alone had incorporated the eight great immortal metals. With a single punch, he shattered an immortal metal Holy Spirit, which then wreaked havoc inside.

The Ten Fiends and the Immortal Seeds are even more formidable, each displaying terrifying and boundless abilities. They were already engaged in fierce battles during the Quasi-Emperor Tribulation, and now they face the challenges of being suppressed by the Desolate Tower, having the Immortal Bell fix the years, and having the Immortal Palace spread the Immortal-Breaking Curse, all of which are proving extremely difficult.

However, he still managed to withstand it, continuously killing the branded beings. He devoured and merged with each one he killed, strengthening his immortal golden body, immortal blood, and immortal seed power.

The most troublesome one was that man, whose strength was boundless. He fought a bloody battle with Wang Hongwu until he was disheveled. This man was the strongest Wang Hongwu had ever encountered since his debut.

The cycle of six realms of reincarnation is a cycle without self!
In the midst of the bloody battle, he even used a heaven-defying divine power. Although limited by the level of the lightning tribulation, it could not exceed the tribulation transcendent by much, but it was still terrifying. There, time flowed backward and rotated in a ring, and the gate of reincarnation opened. The two combined to construct a true place where reincarnation and life and death intertwined.

In an instant, it seemed as if the Supreme Being who had just died was about to be resurrected, while those who were alive were about to die; everything was turned upside down.

This great supernatural power is even more terrifying than all his immortal arts, and it transcends an entire realm! There is practically no hope of fighting against it; only the complete Ten Fierce Treasures Technique can contend with it.

Wang Hongwu was severely injured in the battle, the first time he had ever been so badly wounded. He unleashed all his immortal techniques, pushing his killing power to its peak. In the depths of his mind, he recalled the words he had heard in the Land of Reincarnation: "He is free to transform, I am bound by reincarnation!"
Having broken free from the Six Paths of Reincarnation, what evolves is his own reincarnation, the reincarnation of the Imperial Ultimate Scripture and the Eight-Nine Heavenly Techniques. Moreover, his path is different from this person's; he does not merge into reincarnation or become reincarnation, but rather he wields the reincarnation.

At this moment, he combined all his killing techniques into one, along with the secret techniques he had comprehended from the Six Paths Wheel, and together they evolved to unleash an unparalleled masterpiece. Under this influence, the remaining Ten Fierce Marks also merged with it, evolving into numerous killing techniques.

Under the clash of these two deadly attacks, nothing—not even immortal gold, holy spirits, or tribulations—could exist. Only the two of them fought fiercely, and in the end, they both exploded.

The entire era was destroyed and buried there. The myriad paths and traces of the old era are transforming and being reborn as a completely new path of the Great Dao.

After an unknown amount of time, the world fell silent, all tremors ceased, and even the desolate edge of the universe was plunged into stillness.

After a long while, a celestial light burst forth from there, and a body began to regenerate, having withstood the endless killing calamity, and then went a step further, reaching the ultimate sublimation.

The figure was enveloped in ten-colored immortal radiance, with ten Heavenly Venerables and ten Immortal Golden Saints standing behind him, surrounding him in worship. This was beyond description; it was a state of perfect perfection, an unparalleled world-class being!
"Success! Tribulation complete!"

The seven figures shouted in unison, utterly shocked. They could sense that Emperor Hongwu's Dao was different. His true body trod upon all the Daos, even transcending the universe, unbound and unaffected. The myriad Daos and the core of the universe that he himself evolved were even above the heart of heaven!

Just like the 'immortals' who reside high in the heavens, all emperors and venerables throughout the ages are below them.

Even his own imprint has coalesced into a palace high above the heart of heaven and all the myriad paths!

It bears countless traces of imperial rule, seemingly encompassing powerful figures from the ancient times to mythology and the present day. It is a true supreme hall, where kings of the century gather.

At this moment, Wang Hongwu looked down upon the world, with the myriad paths of the heavens at his feet.

This was like a tsunami, shaking the world. At this moment, people realized that a mythical being who surpassed the 'Emperor of yesteryear' had appeared.

He has attained enlightenment!

If one were to take another step beyond the pinnacle of the Imperial Path, it would be unimaginable what kind of strength one would possess. It is likely that even an Emperor would need to live one or two more lifetimes to be comparable.

"The Hongwu Emperor!"

The crowd cheered, their voices echoing across the starry sky.

Looking down at the vast天地 (heaven and earth), he finally took the crucial step.

On this day, powerful races from all corners of the universe came to pay homage to the supreme Hongwu Heavenly Emperor, the Supreme Heavenly Emperor, and the Great Heavenly Venerable of the Ultimate Dao. The sounds of cheers and shouts were deafening.

Its power and prestige reached their highest peak in history, with all the heavens and myriad realms, and all races of the universe coming to pay homage.

This is practically a re-enactment of the immortal dynasty from ancient times.

(End of this chapter)